... a riveting true story.

Levin offers readers a cheeky bargain: Trust the story he relates, and he in turn will introduce you to the dark powers that have caused Syria to descend into the blood bath from which, after 10 years of fighting, it has yet to escape.

Unlike in fiction, Levin’s true-life account does not promise a satisfying resolution to the story; in life, war seldom leaves room for happy endings. But whether facing tragedy through the horrors of war or through the randomness of real-life, it remains important to never give up. Levin’s story is not an easy one to experience, but it is an important one..

... [Levin] reveals the complex grammar of quid pro quo that is required for any negotiation in the region.

... uneven.